Smoking in bed starts fire that displaces seven families

PLANTATION — Seven families were displaced after a blaze that was ignited by a cigarette ripped through several units of a Plantation apartment building on Sunday.

A spokeswoman with the American Red Cross of South Florida said six of the families, consisting a total of 18 people, are currently being housed at nearby hotels. One family found shelter with other relatives.

The building, located at the 4700 block of Northwest 10th Court, was partially closed off on Monday morning as construction workers surveyed the damage.

Nobody was hurt

In his third-floor apartment, Larry President was on the couch watching television about 8:30 a.m. Sunday when his roommate bolted out of his room shouting, "My bed is on fire!"

President, 54, said he, his roommate and his roommate's nephew tried to throw water on the flaming mattress, but their efforts were futile. The trio ran from the apartment, and someone called dialed 911.

But by the time Plantation firefighters arrived, heavy smoke and flames were coming from the building, according to Fire Chief Joe Harris. Police had already begun evacuating residents of 27 units.

Although the fire was confined to units 316 and 318, at least seven other apartments in three-story building were damaged by smoke and water, according Harry Cohen, who manages building 5 in the Lake Park Gardens complex.

"There was lots of smoke, but the good thing is that everyone got out," said Cohen, who by mid-morning had summoned roofers, electricians and plumbers to the scene.

Although 50 firefighters were able to knock down the flames within 45 minutes, the fire spread into a common roof space between the first two apartments, said Gordon. Since the building is not required to have a sprinkler system, firefighters had to hoist hoses to the third floor in order to fight the fire.

Firefighters also used a ladder truck to get above the blaze in order to extinguishing it. They were on the scene for more than three hours.

The state fire marshal ruled that the fire was caused by careless smoking. "The occupant of apartment 316 admitted to smoking earlier [in] the location where the fire appeared to originate," according to Battalion Chief Joel Gordon. "There was a delay in calling 911 as the occupant tried to extinguish the fire himself."

Also responding was the American Red Cross disaster assistance team. Team leader Terry Hodges said those in need would be offered housing for 72 hours, food, a clothing allowance and help replacing any required medicines.

Among those who waited to get back into the building to assess the damage was Isnye Toussaint, 43, who with his three roommates fled their second-floor apartment when their smoke alarm went off. "They told us it would take three days to clean it up," said Toussaint, a driver for a dry cleaning shop. "We don't know what we have left."